'Contemporary Figure' to open at Shattuck

On Wednesday, Dedee Shattuck Gallery will open its new exhibition, "The Contemporary Figure."

On Wednesday, Dedee Shattuck Gallery will open its new exhibition, "The Contemporary Figure."

Versed in the study of art history and a developed personal aesthetic language, five artists — Anne Leone, Dan Ludwig, John Borowicz, Sergei Isupov and Walter Horak — will present contemporary interpretations of a classic form, a press release states. The exhibit runs through July 27, with the artists' reception from 5 to 7 p.m. July 5.

Floating, diving, relaxing and hovering, the figures in Leone's underwater paintings are chillingly unaware of the viewer, and yet the viewer feels an intimate presence with them. Leone masterfully captures the weight and character of the human form and the quality of light under water. Her paintings are realist, but allegorical: stillness and motion, weightlessness and mass, skin clothed and revealed, parts submerged and breaking through the surface, all suggest themes beyond what is immediately visible.

Ludwig take cues from painting styles from the 15th century to the present, interweaving them into dynamic compositions of figures distorted, contorted and transected in imagined settings. The figure is the central element of Ludwig's work, which he depicts with a broad and varied color palette. He sees these works as an analogy for contemporary society, an amalgamation of human history and expression overlapping in a diverse world enlivened by technology and accelerated communication.

Borowicz's artistic roots are in traditional portraiture and landscape, although that might seem a surprise to a viewer observing his wildly composed stylized imagery. A closer look reveals an incredible painterly aptitude. The works, according to Borowicz, are representational and realistic; they are simply accurate representations of an alternate reality in which we do not live. His works explore issues that are central to our contemporary reality — motherhood, cultural identity, outsider identity — but do so with a fresh, exciting sense of humor and self-deprecation.

Isupov uses the figure as one part of an arsenal of narrative tools to create surreal and dreamlike porcelain sculptures. Body parts, clothing, texture, and symbol blend, push and pull against each other, and sit quietly in juxtaposition. The resulting objects are simultaneously invigorated with tension and beautifully harmonious. His work displays a unique mastery of material and image, a sense of humor and irony, and an unbridled imagination.

Horak creates composed amalgamations of figures in bronze. The works are inspired by modern dance and contortion, calligraphy, poetry, community, and personal experiences. Textural and anonymous, the figures in the work become brushstrokes that make up compositions that explore the principles of sculpture: balance, tension, weight, space and material.

The figure is not only one of the original forms depicted in art, it is also the vessel through which we experience art, understand scale, and relate to objects in space. Figure drawing is the basis of art education and practice for artists working in all mediums. Leone, Ludwig, Borowicz, Isupov, and Horak utilize the figure and its context throughout the history of human expression in fresh, diverse, and thought provoking ways. This exhibit links the power of the figure to the human psyche; presenting artists who utilize this connection to create works that touch the audience in an elemental way; leaving the viewer with a host of thoughts and conversation about art making and the human experience.

Also during July, WaterFire Providence and Dedee Shattuck Gallery are pleased to announce "WaterFire: Illuminating the Mirror," from 7 to 9 p.m. July 24. Barnaby Evans, creator of WaterFire, will speak of the artwork's intention and impact in Providence, share images of WaterFire projects around the world, and reflect on the place of art and ritual in our public and private lives.

Artists' receptions, exhibitions and events are free and open to the public. For more information about "The Contemporary Figure," visit www.dedeeshattuckgallery.com. The gallery is at 1 Partners Lane, Westport.